Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy the age of vegetarianism

I'm on my phone so please forgive any typos or shortness. I am so sad to see this thread going in this direction, though, and have never claimed moral superiority nor greater intelligence because I am vegan. I did note studies which linked higher IQ with greater likelihood of becoming vegetarian or atheist, one of which I am and one of which I am not. I suspect that link is there b/c, as others have noted, gifties are more likely to question everything and not simply accept on faith. However, diet or religion not being the thing that you choose to change drastically in one specific direction in no way indicates less intellect.

I will say that DAD22's posts, albeit better after the last one that was edited, are somewhat offensive to veg*ns as they imply not only that we are proselytizing and arrogant but also that our logic and morals are in error and foolish. As I've said over again here, I know that there is no way to be a perfect vegan. I am also not judging those who are not vegan. I love and respect greatly the morality of my dh who is not veg*n. He is one of the most ethical people I know. He is also atheist so I reject the idea that morals must stem from religion as much as I reject the notion that omnivores are amoral.

In regard to mice and insect and rainforests and all of that which is being raised, it is merely a way to say that veg*ns are stupid and not living by the morals we claim IMHO. It is rude and baiting. I'm sorry to be so strong there but after nearly 25 yrs as a vegan, I am tired of having to defend my beliefs as much as I imagine a Christian would be offended if this thread had taken the turn of attacking his/her beliefs as foolish and him/her of not living by the beliefs proclaimed. I do the absolute best I can to minimize the death and suffering brought about on my behalf. I buy locally grown and organic food as much as I can (minimizing my impact on the rainforests, which are incidentally clear cut to graze cattle and 70% of the soybeans grown in the former rainforests are used for animal feed). I grow and can veggies.

This really can't and shouldn't be about who has the moral high ground here. We could argue all day about how you are destroying the rainforest by eating animals that were fed soymeal from the rainforest and I am a hypocrite for eating grains that led to the deaths of field mice during harvest. Is that what anyone wants - to cut other people down to defend their own choices?

I've been on the side of being preached to. We live in an area where our religious beliefs are hugely in the minority. I so clearly recall being approached by a little girl when dd14 was in kindergarten who walked up to me after school and said, "Mrs. ___, do you know that [dd] is going to hell because she doesn't have Jesus in her heart?" I recall kids telling dd that God wanted her to eat meat and she was going to get sick and die because she didn't. I recall her school responding that tolerance was not part of their character education because kids shouldn't be taught to tolerate things that they believed were morally wrong (I.e. my dd's differing religious beliefs). We have people from two specific Christian denominations coming to our door regularly to save us and tell us about bible studies, services, etc.

I may find some of these specific people challenging, but I do not choose to repond in anger to all Christians as a result or assume that they are all arrogant or holier than thou. I would respectfully request that I be given the same treatment here. Please don't bait the vegans and assume that we are all militant or foolish.